Himeji Gokoku Shrine tours

We went on February 8th, two families in one minibus. It happened to be snowing that day, and we saw Himeji Castle in the snow, so beautiful! After arriving at Arima Onsen, the snow gradually got heavier, and some roads were closed. We couldn't go up Mount Rokko, but the driver cooperated with our schedule and departed earlier to return to the city, avoiding being stranded on the mountain.

Had an absolutely delightful day with our guide, Harry! the day does kick off nice and early but we were greeted by some wonderful snow upon our arrival in Himeji! Harry was so filled with knowledge and stores about the castles purpose, and was sure to tell us all about the different legends surrounding it. The view from the top is incredible as well! just make sure your calves are ready for some steep stairs 😂 Upon his suggestion, I also checked out the beautiful gardens next to the castle grounds, and they certainly did not disappoint. The lunch set was also absolutely delicious! Arima onsen town is also beautiful - and if public baths aren’t your thing, there are plenty of shops and little eateries for you to indulge in! the view from Mt Rokko was also a sight to behold! would definitely recommend this tour! the sights were wonderful! thank you again Harry!!

The excursion was amazing! We had such a great time from start to finish. Nick Lee, our guide, was awesome — super kind, very friendly, and he took great care of us the whole time. Everything was well organized and we really enjoyed ourselves. I would 100% recommend this excursion!

Rina was an incredible guide!! This was our first time having a guided tour in Japan and it was phenomenal. Himeji Castle has such a rich history and so many details that are easily overlooked/not covered in the standard guidebook provided by Himeji. She was a lot of fun to talk to and answered all questions we had. I think if you're also in a time crunch, a guided tour is the way to go because you'll really see the "meat" of Himeji Castle efficiently. I also appreciated that she showed us excellent, uncommon photo spots! The garden tour was fantastic and she told us much about the symbolism of many plants in the garden. Because of Rina, we will definitely be coming back to Himeji!!! I can't thank her enough for such a wonderful experience.

I would give more stars if I could! Nancy was a fantastic guide who kindly took our picture multiple times, and went so far as to ask the staff at the brewery for restaurant recommendations since we mentioned we hadn’t decided where to eat yet! She really made the day special for us, and we both appreciated her kindness. Himeji castle was beautiful, and the sake at the brewery was wonderful. Overall it was well worth the money and time! Highly recommend

This tour was definitely worth it! Our guide, Harry, was super friendly and very knowledgeable. He explained a lot, especially when we asked for more details about the history of Hideyoshi and Himeji Castle. The castle itself was really cool to visit—it felt like stepping back in time in some parts. Koko-en Garden was absolutely beautiful; although we didn't have much time to explore it, the experience was great, and the tempura lunch set is delicious and highly recommended. Arima Onsen is a fun little place to explore, though we didn't try the onsen as we felt we were short on time. It snowed while we were there, and by the time we reached the last stop, Mount Rokko, a small snowstorm made the place look magical. Great tour!

our guide Haru was wonderful. she was knowledgeable and extremely sweet. the castle was beautiful. Haru started us off in the garden and we had the whole place to ourselves

this tour was great!! Nancy was a wonderful guide and very knowledgeable. she was also such a good sport in the heat— and it was so hot out when we went. she was kind and intelligent and spoke wonderful English. I would recommend this tour to anyone going to Himeji castle. there’s a lot you can miss if you just do it yourself. thanks again for such a. great time!!